Bicycle pedal and fastening shoe assembly and pedal and cleat for same

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a bicycle pedal and fastening shoe assembly (C), the pedal comprising a body rotatably mounted on an axle ( 3 ) and, at least on one side of the body a chain-wheel above the pedal axle; front abutting means ( 9 ) extending parallel to the geometrical axis (A) of the pedal at the rear of said axis designed to co-operate with a front abutting surface ( 26 ) of the shoe; a retaining member ( 10 ) mounted on the pedal, pressed by elastic return means against the rear of the shoe, and retaining means towards the top provided on the pedal to co-operate with a combined means of the shoe. The front abutting means ( 9 ) of the pedal and the front abutting surface ( 26 ) of the shoe are designed to slide against each other along a direction perpendicular to the chain-wheel of the pedal without catching, the rear retaining member ( 10 ) is designed to fasten a combined element ( 29 ) of the shoe, and the pedal body comprises, at the rear of the member ( 10 ) clearances to enable the use of staples ( 35   a   , 35   b ) preventing the shoe from being in direct contact with the ground when walking, and a support zone ( 15 ) for a shoe sole equipped with the shoe.

The invention relates to a bicycle pedal assembly with a safety bindingand cleat designed to be fixed under the sole of a shoe, this assemblybeing of the kind in which the pedal comprises a body mounted to rotateon a spindle and, on at least one face of the body:

-   -   a plateau above the spindle of the pedal;    -   a frontal stop means stretching parallel to the geometric axis        of the pedal and situated to the rear of this axis, able to        collaborate with a frontal stop surface of the cleat, with        lateral freedom;    -   a holding means) mounted to move on the pedal, able to be        applied by an elastic return means against the rear of the        cleat,    -   and an upward retaining means provided on the pedal to        collaborate with a mating means on the cleat, it being possible        for the cleat to be clipped into the pedal by foot pressure on        the plateau of the pedal, while unclipping is obtained by        twisting the foot relative to the pedal about a point situated        behind the geometric axis of the pedal.

EP 0 169 080 discloses a bicycle pedal and cleat assembly of this kind,by virtue of which an effective connection is made between the pedal andthe cycling shoe while at the same time guaranteeing good safety. If thecyclist should fall, automatic unclipping of the shoe may occur. Innormal use, the cyclist can easily release his foot by a twistingmovement unclipping the cleat. The center of rotation of the cleat andof the shoe, relative to the pedal, is situated behind the axis ofrotation of the pedal against the frontal stop means of this pedal. Thecyclist enjoys an angular freedom of the foot without the risk ofunclipping or “releasing”, the latter being obtained for a greatertwisting movement. The extent of the frontal stop means in a directionparallel to the axis of the pedal also allows lateral freedom to beenjoyed.

Although the known assembly is satisfactory, it is desirable tofacilitate the operation of clipping the cleat into the pedal.

It is in particular an object of the invention to provide an assemblythat gives a solution to this problem while at the same time maintainingthe advantages of the previous assembly.

As a preference, the invention aims to provide a fixing assembly whichoperates correctly even if the sole of the shoe is equipped withcrampons which are taller than the height of the cleat so that when thecyclist walks, the sole bears on the ground via the crampons without thecleat touching the ground.

According to the invention, an assembly comprising a bicycle pedal witha safety binding and a cleat designed to be fixed under the sole of ashoe, of the kind defined above, is characterized in that:

-   -   the frontal stop means of the pedal and the frontal stop surface        of the cleat are designed to be able to slide one over the other        in a direction perpendicular to the plateau of the pedal without        catching, particularly upward,    -   the rear holding member constitutes the upward retaining means        and is designed to catch on a mating element of the cleat,    -   and the pedal body comprises, behind the rear holding member, a        bearing region for the sole of a shoe equipped with the cleat.

As a preference, the pedal comprises, behind its geometric axis, andbehind the plateau, a recess on each side.

The pedal body may comprise, behind the plateau an extending branch oneach side, having a height shorter than that of the body, and theunderside of which is roughly level with the lowermost part of the body,the branches converging toward the rear to meet and form the rearbearing region, the recesses being situated above the branches.

The rear bearing region may consist of a central block of maximum widthless than the width of the pedal. This rear bearing region may besituated at the level of the plateau.

Advantageously, the cleat is secured at the upper part to a mountingplate equipped, toward the rear, on each side, with a crampon,particularly one made of plastic or elastomeric material, it beingpossible for each crampon to pass through the corresponding recess inthe pedal body during the twisting movement for release. A stop member,projecting downward and forward, may be fixed under the mounting plate,at the front. As a preference, the two rear crampons and the front stopmember are tall enough to form a three point contact on the ground andkeep the cleat out of contact with the ground when a cyclist is walkingin a shoe equipped with the cleat and mounting plate.

The rear holding member may consist of a piece with a dihedral-shapedcross section, the concave side of which faces forward and one face ofwhich forms a hook, this piece being mounted to rotate on a rod parallelto the axis of the pedal and urged elastically to rotate forward.

As an alternative, the rear holding member comprises a strip mounted torotate on a rod parallel to the axis of the pedal and urged elasticallyto rotate forward.

In general, the holding member has a straight front edge parallel to theaxis of the pedal.

The mating element of the cleat, designed to collaborate with theholding member, may be formed of a backwardly protruding spur at thelower part of the cleat.

The frontal stop means of the pedal may comprise a wall perpendicular tothe plateau and toward the front bounding a rear cut-out of the plateau.The wall may be formed of an attached plate made of a metal harder thanthat of the pedal body.

As an alternative, the frontal stop means of the pedal comprises a wiremade of a metal harder than that of the pedal body, parallel to the axisof the pedal, set into the wall so that it is flush with this wall.

The invention also relates to a bicycle pedal with safety bindingexhibiting the characteristics of the pedal of an assembly as definedabove.

The invention also relates to a cleat having the characteristics of thecleat of an assembly as defined above.

In particular, a cleat according to the invention is characterized inthat it is secured to a mounting plate equipped on each side toward therear with a crampon for walking and, toward the front, with a downwardlyand forwardly projecting stop member, the crampons and the stop memberbeing tall enough to form a three point contact with the ground and keepthe cleat off the ground when a cyclist is walking in a shoe equippedwith this cleat.

Apart from the provisions explained hereinabove, the invention consistsin a certain number of other provisions that will be dealt with moreexplicitly hereinafter with regard to some exemplary embodimentsdescribed in detail with reference to the drawings appended hereto, butwhich are not in any way limiting.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bicycle left pedal according to theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the pedal of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of this pedal.

FIG. 4 is a view from beneath of the pedal of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows, in a similar way to FIG. 2, the pedal, to which there isfixed a shoe, depicted schematically via part of its sole, equipped withthe cleat.

FIG. 6 is a section on VI-VI of FIG. 5, with part of an external view.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the cleat, of the mounting plate and of thefront stop member.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view from underneath of the mounting plate withthe cleat.

FIG. 9 is a view in longitudinal section of an alternative form ofembodiment of the pedal with the cleat clipped in.

FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view illustrating the clipped-in position ofthe cleat and of a right pedal.

FIG. 11, finally, illustrates, in a way similar to FIG. 10, theunclipping by twisting of the cleat relative to the right pedal.

Reference is made to the drawings, in particular to FIGS. 1 to 6, whichshow a bicycle pedal 1 with safety binding comprising a pedal body 2mounted to rotate on a spindle 3. The spindle 3 is engaged in a bore ofthe body 2 (see FIG. 6), and a rolling bearing 3 a, for example a needlebearing, is mounted at its end. The pedal depicted in FIGS. 1 to 6 is aleft pedal, to be fixed on a pedal crank on the right.

Throughout the text of the description and of the claims, the terms“front”, “rear”, “top”, “underside”, etc. are to be understood withreference to a pedal mounted on a bicycle pedal crank and occupying aroughly horizontal normal work position. “Front” corresponds to thedirection of travel of the bicycle, “rear” corresponds to the oppositedirection.

The pedal body 2 comprises a roughly flat plateau 4, above the spindle 3of the pedal. The plateau 4 is bounded on the sides by an outer edge 4 aand by an inner edge 4 b, secured to a hub 5 in which a rolling bearingis mounted about the spindle 3. The front edge 4 c of the plateau has aconvex shape and is equipped in its central part with a rounded forwardprojection 6.

The rear edge of the plateau has a rectangular cut-out 7 whose dimensionB parallel to the geometric axis A is greater than half the width L ofthe pedal (L is equal to the distance between the lateral edges 4 a and4 b), and preferably at least equal to 2L/3. The cut-out 7 is bounded oneach side by a rear lump 8 a, 8 b of the plateau, and is open to therear.

The cut-out 7 is bounded at the front by a wall 9 roughly orthogonal tothe upper plane of the plateau 4, running parallel to the spindle 3 ofthe pedal, behind this spindle. The wall 9 is situated below the uppersurface of the plateau 4. At least one region of this wall 9 constitutesa frontal stop means for a cleat C (FIG. 7).

In general, the pedal body 4 is made of light alloy, for example analloy based on aluminum and magnesium, or of a thermoplastic resin. Thewall 9, exposed to friction and force, is advantageously made of anattached plate in a metal harder than that of the body 4, for example asteel plate.

As an alternative, in FIG. 9, the frontal stop means is formed of aspring steel wire 9 a, of circular section, set into the upper edge ofthe wall 9 in such a way that the wire 9 a is flush with this wall. Theabutment of the cleat C against the wire 9 a takes place along astraight line contact parallel to the axis A. As is visible in FIG. 10,the wire 9 a may have a return toward the rear on each side, to form a Uflanking the cut-out 7.

A holding member 10 is mounted to move on the pedal body 4, to the rearof the wall 9.

According to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 6, the member 10 consists of apiece with a dihedral shape, the dihedral angle of which is parallel tothe geometric axis A of the pedal. The front edge of the member 10,which is the front edge of the upper face 10 a is parallel to the axis Aand forms a forwardly projecting spur, with the same transverse breadthB as the cut-out 7. The face 10 a in the rest position is roughlyparallel to the upper plane of the plateau 4, at the level of or belowthis plateau. The other face 10 b of the dihedron is inclined rearward.Each lateral end of the face 10 b is secured to a forwardly projectinglug 10 c orthogonal to the plane of the face 10 b. Each lug 10 c has ahole for the passage of a rod 11 constituting a spindle for thearticulation of the piece 10. The rod 11 is engaged, at each end, in ahole 12 acting as a bearing, provided in a branch 4 e, 4 f extending thebody 2 rearward. The space between the branches 4 e, 4 f is free ofmaterial. The holes 12 are provided lower down than the axis A relativeto the plateau 4.

The holding member 10 is urged elastically to rotate forward by anelastic return means consisting of a torsion spring 13 engaged aroundthe rod 11. One end 13 a (FIG. 4) of the spring 13 bears against thepedal body 2 and the other end 13 b bears against the member 10.

According to the alternative form of FIG. 9, the holding member 10consists of a strip 10 a′ corresponding to the sole face 10 a of thedihedron of FIGS. 1 to 6. The front edge of the member 10, which is thefront edge of the strip 10 a′, is parallel to the axis A. The lateralends of the strip 10 a′ are turned down at right angles downward to formthe lugs 10 c′ for articulation on the rod 11. The end 13 b of thespring 13 bears against a stop 10 d secured to the member 10.

At rest, the member 10 occupies the position illustrated in FIG. 3 inwhich the front edge of the member 10 is a distance h from the wall 9.When sufficient force is exerted rearward on the member 10, its frontedge can retreat so that the distance h increases. When the forceceases, the spring 13 returns the member 10 forward.

The distance h at rest is small by comparison with the longitudinaldimension E of the pedal. In particular, h is less than E/4 andpreferably less than E/5.

The underside of the branches 4 e, 4 f is more or less level with thelowermost part of the pedal body 2. As these branches 4 e, 4 f have aheight shorter than that of the body 2, particularly roughly equal tohalf this height, this means that there is a recess 14 a, 14 b on eachside, to the rear of the plateau 4.

The member 10 is flanked by the start (perpendicular to the wall 9) ofthe branches 4 e, 4 f, which continue, converging toward the rear to aV, to meet, rising up to form a bearing region 15 situated level withthe plateau 4. In the example of FIGS. 1 to 6, the bearing region 15 isformed by a kind of central block roughly in the shape of an isoscelestrapezium with a convex long base situated at the front. The maximumwidth Z of the bearing region 15 is less than the width L of the pedal,preferably less than or equal to half the width L (Z≦L/2).

On each side of the block 15 there are, in the pedal body, recesses 16a, 16 b formed by empty spaces situated above the rear parts of thebranches 4 e, 4 f.

The block 15 may be covered with a thin sheet 15 a (FIG. 9) of a metal,particularly steel, harder than the material of the body 2 and moreresistant to wear. The block 15 has a hole 17 for the attachment of thissheet, using a screw or a rivet for example. Likewise, there is a hole18 in the front of the plateau 4, at the center, for attaching, forexample using one or more screws 19 (FIG. 3), a thin sheet 20 roughly inthe shape of a circular segment made of a metal harder than the materialof the body 2, similar to the sheet 15 a.

The pedal body 2 is extended forward, at a level lower than the plateau4, by a central blade 21 of a width smaller than the width L of thepedal. The distance between the upper face of the blade 21 and the upperplane of the plateau 4 is denoted f (FIG. 2). The blade 21 is equippedat its front end with an upwardly projecting rim 22 forming a return 23toward the rear. The rear edge of the return 23 has a concave shapefacing the rear. The space 24 between the blade 21 and the return 23constitutes a housing to accommodate a stop member facilitating thepositioning of the shoe on the pedal for clipping in.

The cleat C designed to be fixed under the sole S (FIG. 5) of a cyclingshoe is clearly visible in FIGS. 7 and 8. The cleat C is secured to amounting plate 25 and projects under the underside of this mountingplate, at right angles to the mounting plate. The cleat C is made ofmetal, particularly made of a cupro-aluminum alloy. The mounting plate25 may consist of a sheet metal plate to which the cleat C is fixed,particularly by rivets or screws passing through holes t (FIGS. 10, 11)in the cleat C. The mounting plate 25 is designed to cover the pedalbody, including the rear bearing region 15, and to extend up to near thereturn 23. The mounting plate 25 is rigid enough that it can, withoutappreciable flexing, transmit the thrust of the foot, exerted over thespindle 3, to the pedal. The mounting plate 25 bears against the pedalin front of the spindle 3, and at the rear bears on the block 15.

The cleat C has a frontal surface 26 (FIGS. 6 and 7) that is roughlyflat, mating with the stop means 9 or 9 a of the pedal. The surface 26consists of a wall perpendicular to the mounting plate 28 and roughlyparallel to the geometric axis A when clipping-in is performed. The wall26 can slide against the frontal stop means 9, 9 a without catching, ina direction perpendicular to the plateau 4. The wall 26 can also slidein a direction parallel to the axis A. The surface 26 is extendedlaterally by surfaces 27, 28 inclined rearward and forming an obtuseangle with the surface 26. The maximum dimension K (FIG. 6) of the cleatC, parallel to the axis A, is less than the dimension B of the cut-out 7and of the wall 9. The difference between the values B and K is chosento give the desired amplitude for lateral freedom of the cleat C and ofthe foot on the pedal.

The cleat C has, projecting rearward, a spur 29 able to catch under thefront edge of the holding member 10 of the pedal. The spur 29 divergesdownward away from the upper face of the cleat C to determine a groove30 in which the front edge of the member 10 can be housed. The bottom ofthe groove 30 is parallel to the surface 26. The thickness n (FIG. 7)between the bottom of the groove 30 and the wall 26 is greater than thedistance h on the pedal at rest. As a result, in the normal clipped-inposition, the frontal surface 26 is in abutment against the wall 9 whilethe front edge of the member 10 is in abutment against the bottom of thegroove 30.

The lower edge of the frontal wall 26 of the cleat C is formed of achamfer 26 a (FIG. 7) set back toward the rear facilitating engagementof the cleat C in the cut-out 7. The lower edge of the hook 26 is formedof a chamfer 29 a inclined forward encouraging the retreat of the frontedge of the member 10 during clipping-in.

The lateral edges 29 b, 29 c of the spur are inclined with respect tothe face 26 in the opposite direction to the walls 27, 28. The choice ofthe angle inclination of the edges 29 b, 29 c determines the angle oftwist that brings about unclipping or “release”.

The mounting plate 25 is equipped with screws or rivets, for examplefour screws 31 (FIG. 8), two at the front, two at the rear, for fixingunder the sole S of the shoe. Other types of fixing are possible, forwhich three oblong holes 32 arranged in a triangle in the mounting plate25 are provided. An overmolding of plastic in the mounting plate 25 isprovided with additional thicknesses 33 a, 33 b (FIG. 8) on the sides,toward the front of the mounting plate 25, while a central additionalthickness 34 is provided at the rear. These additional thicknesses 33,34 allow the mounting plate 25 to bear firmly against the plate 20 ofthe plateau 4 and against the rear block 15 over which the additionalthickness 34 is positioned.

At the rear, near each of its edges, the mounting plate 25 is equippedwith a crampon 35 a, 35 b, roughly in the shape of a triangular prismthe generatrices of which are perpendicular to the mounting plate 25.The crampons 35 a, 35 b are preferably removable so that they can bechanged. The crampons 35 a, 35 b are made of plastic or elastomericmaterial; they project under the underside of the mounting plate 25 overa distance m (FIG. 7) greater than the projection q of the cleat C underthe mounting plate 25.

The crampons 35 a, 35 b are arranged in such a way as to pass throughthe corresponding recess 16 a or 16 b as the mounting plate 25 istwisted in order to bring about release.

The mounting plate 25 is equipped, under its front end, with a stopmember 36 projecting forward and underneath the mounting plate to engageunder the return 23 of the pedal. The underside of the stop member 36 isequipped with a coating 37 of plastic or elastomeric material. Theprojection of the stop 36 with the coating 37 under the plate 25 is suchthat a plane P (FIG. 7) resting against the rear crampons 35 a, 35 b andthe member 36 remains distant from the lower edge of the cleat C. Underthese conditions, a cyclist wearing a shoe equipped with a cleat C witha mounting plate 25 has, as he walks, three point contact correspondingto the two rear crampons 35 a, 35 b and the front member 36, 37; he canthus roll his foot without the cleat C coming into contact with theground.

FIG. 9 shows an alternative essentially already described. Elementswhich play similar parts to elements in FIGS. 1 to 6 are denoted by thesame references. It can be seen that the plateau 4 has, forward of thespindle 3, a depression 4 i reducing the thickness of the body and themass of the pedal.

The pedal body with its plateau 4, its rear branches 4 e, 4 f, its block15 and its blade 21 is preferably made as one piece, particularly inlight alloy or in thermoplastic resin.

That being the case, the use and operation of the bicycle pedal andclip-in cleat assembly are as follows.

Consider a cyclist wearing a shoe the sole S (FIG. 5) of which is fittedwith the mounting plate 25 with cleat C.

To “engage”, that is to say to clip his shoe into the pedal 1, thecyclist offers the sole S over the pedal, with the tip of the footinclined forward, so as to engage the stop member 36 under the return23. The cleat C is then more or less over the cut-out 7.

The cyclist presses down on the pedal with his foot and this causes thecleat C to enter the cut-out 7, which entry is facilitated by thepresence of the chamfer 26 a. Engagement of the cleat C in the cut-out 7occurs with practically no retreat perceivable to the cyclist. Theforward stopping of the cleat C is provided by the collaboration betweenthe frontal face 26 of this cleat and the frontal stop means 9 or 9 a ofthe pedal. The member 36 is not in contact with the rim 22.

As the cleat C drops down into the cut-out 7, the rear chamfer 29 apushes the holding member 10 back until the front edge of the member 10has negotiated the upper edge of the spur 29 and enters the groove 30.The member 10, urged by the spring 13, returns forward and its frontedge is pressed against the bottom of the groove 30. The crampons 35 a,35 b sit in the recesses 16 a, 16 b, or in the vicinity thereof.

The rear part of the mounting frame 25 is in contact with the rearbearing region 15, 15 a. The front part of the mounting plate 25 bearsagainst the plate 20 held by the screw or screws 19.

The shoe is clipped into the pedal under optimum conditions.Specifically, the cleat C is housed in the recess 7 at a level belowthat of the plateau 4, so that the sole S presses on the plateau 4 asmall distance away from the geometric axis A of the pedal, thus givinggood pedaling conditions.

Furthermore, the cyclist enjoys angular freedom and lateral freedom toposition his foot on the pedal.

The possible retreat of the cleat C and of the shoe, against the forceexerted by the spring 13 on the member 10, is limited by the rear of themember 36 coming to bear against the projection 6, without there beingany unclipping.

FIG. 10 schematically and partially depicts, in plan view, the “engaged”position. The cleat C is clipped into a right pedal, that is to say thatthe pedal crank (not depicted) to which the pedal would be fixed, wouldbe to the left of the cleat C in FIGS. 10 and 11.

Unclipping or “release” is obtained by a twisting of the foot whichcauses the mounting plate 25 and the cleat C to turn relative to thepedal 1. In general, this twisting movement is performed by shifting theheel of the foot outward, but a twisting movement in the oppositedirection may also bring about unclipping.

The diagram of FIG. 11 illustrates unclipping. The outward twistingmovement of the foot has caused the cleat C to turn. The center ofrotation of the cleat and of the shoe is situated against the frontalstop means 9 a or 9, to the rear of the geometric axis A of the pedal.The upper part of the cleat clamped between the frontal stop means 9 aor 9 and the parallel front edge of the member 10 acts as a cam with amore or less rectangular contour, the large dimension of which isparallel to the axis A. The rotation of C causes the holding member 10to retreat up to the unclipping angle for which the rear edge 29 bescapes from the front edge of the holding member 10. The shoe is thenfree of the pedal.

During this rotation, the crampons 35 a, 35 b cross the correspondingrecess 16 a, 16 b.

When the shoe is clipped in and the cyclist exerts a pulling force onthe pedal, the rear bearing region 15, 15 a, in contact with themounting plate 25, prevents any relative rotation of the pedal likely tocause unclipping.

The cyclist can walk resting on the ground via the crampons 35 a, 35 band the front member 36, 37, without the cleat C touching the ground.

1-24. (canceled)
 25. An assembly of a bicycle pedal with a safetybinding and a cleat, the pedal comprising a pedal body mounted to rotateon a spindle and, on at least one face of the body: a plateau above thespindle of the pedal; a frontal stop means; a holding means mounted tomove on the pedal, and arranged to be applied by an elastic return meansagainst the rear of the cleat, and an upward retaining means provided onthe pedal to collaborate with a mating means on the cleat, wherein it ispossible for the cleat to be clipped into the pedal by foot pressure onthe plateau of the pedal, while unclipping is may be accomplished bytwisting the foot relative to the pedal, wherein: the pedal bodycomprises, behind its geometric axis, and behind the plateau, a recesseson two sides of the pedal body, the cleat is secured to a mountingplate, said mounting plate being equipped toward the rear, on two sidesof the mounting plate, with crampons, and each of said crampons isarranged to pass through a corresponding one of said recesses during atwisting movement for release.
 26. The assembly as claimed in claim 25,wherein the crampons are made of plastic or elastomeric material. 27.The assembly as claimed in claim 25, wherein the pedal body comprises,behind the plateau, extending branches on said two sides of the pedalbody, said recesses being situated above said extending branches. 28.The assembly as claimed in claim 27, wherein each of said extendingbranches has a height shorter than a height of the pedal body, whereineach of said extending branches have an underside that is roughly levelwith a lowermost part of the pedal body, and wherein said extendingbranches converge toward a rear of the pedal to meet and form a rearbearing region.
 29. The assembly as claimed in claim 25, wherein themounting plate is fixed to the cleat so as to cover substantially theentire pedal.
 30. The assembly as claimed in claim 29, wherein a stopmember, which projects downward and forward, is fixed under the mountingplate, at a front of the mounting plate.
 31. The assembly as claimed inclaim 30, wherein the stop member comprises, under its underside, acoating of plastic or elastomeric material.
 32. The assembly as claimedin claim 30, wherein said crampons and said stop member are tall enoughto form three point contact on the ground and keep the cleat out ofcontact with the ground when a cyclist is walking in a shoe equippedwith the cleat and mounting plate.
 33. A bicycle pedal with a safetybinding comprising a body mounted to rotate on a spindle and, on atleast one face of the body: a plateau above the spindle of the pedal, afrontal stop means, a holding means mounted to move on the pedal, andarranged to be applied by an elastic return means against the rear ofthe cleat, and an upward retaining means provided on the pedal tocollaborate with a mating means on the cleat, wherein it is possible forthe cleat to be clipped in the pedal by foot pressure on the plateau ofthe pedal, while unclipping may be accomplished by twisting the footrelative to the pedal, wherein: the pedal body comprises, behind itsgeometric axis, recesses provided on two sides of said pedal body toallow a corresponding crampon to pass through each of said recessesduring a twisting movement for release.
 34. A bicycle pedal as claimedin claim 33, wherein the pedal body comprises, behind the plateau,extending branches on said two sides of the pedal body, said recessesbeing situated above said extending branches.
 35. A bicycle pedal asclaimed in claim 10, wherein each of said extending branches has aheight shorter than a height of the body, and wherein each of saidextending branches has an underside that is roughly level with alowermost part of the pedal body, wherein said branches converge towarda rear of the pedal to meet and form a rear bearing region).
 36. Aclipping cleat for an assembly of a bicycle pedal, said clipping cleatbeing adapted to be secured under a cyclist shoe sole, wherein saidclipping cleat is fixed to a mounting plate, wherein said mounting plateis equipped, on two sides toward a rear of the mounting plate, withcrampons for walking, and wherein said mounting plate is equipped,toward the front, with a downwardly projecting stop member, saidcrampons and said stop member being tall enough to form a three pointcontact with the ground and keep said cleat off the ground when acyclist is walking in a shoe equipped with said cleat.